By Tim Stannard

Champions League draw reunites last year’s final feud

Pity poor Sevilla and Roma.

In the last eight of the Champions League – a place where Manchester United and PSG spent about half a billion between the pair to try and reach – and all the respect the two clubs get on Friday are fans of Bayern Munich and Barcelona doing Andy Murray-style first pumps with the assumption that the two sides are European cannon-fodder for their big beasts.

UEFA’s balls have sent Sevilla into a double-header against the perennial Bundesliga giants whilst Roma have a double date with Leo Messi and the other 10 expendable Barcelona players that make up the team.

However, the other two ties in Friday’s draw for the quarterfinals have really got the football juices flowing with a repeat of last season’s final between Juventus and Real Madrid – which did not go that well for the Serie A side in the end – and an all-English affair between Liverpool and Manchester City, a double-header which could see the eventual goal tally in the high 30s.

The final four could see a team from Italy, Spain, Germany and England battling through to the final four in a kind of perfect symmetry, and a temporary cessation in the internet argument of which is the best league in the world. Tune into the Locker Room at 7PM ET / 4PM PT, where the panel will make their predictions of who will go through. And Gary Bailey might be in trouble here as draws are not allowed.

Atletico and Arsenal kept apart in Europa League draw

The Europa League has already reached its own level of peace and balance with eight teams from eight separate countries going into Friday’s draw. And the big guns – although Atletico Madrid are going to win the thing, so let’s not pretend otherwise – all being drawn apart.

The future champions have a double heading against Portugal’s Schhhporting while Arsenal will be ‘Russian’ to take on CSKA Moscow at a time when their respective nations are getting on famously. The hipster pick has Marseille taking on RB Leipzig while Lazio face Salzburg which might end up being the pick of the hipsters’ hipster.

Lille’ Wane as team fights for future against Monaco

All those games are set to take part in the far and distant future in early April, but Europe is kicking off a round of action on Friday ahead of the international break, which allows everyone to both have a breather from club football and also grow depressed about their respective nation’s chances in the World Cup. If they actually got there. Sorry USA. And Italy.

Anyhoo, Monaco and Lille are meeting in Ligue Un action and they both have problems with supporters. The former doesn’t have enough of them watching in the stands in Monte Carlo, which is a shame as they remain one of the most exciting in the business, sitting in second place with 72 goals to their name.

Lille’s supporters recently invaded the pitch, unhappy at the results of the team which sees Lille second-from-bottom of the table and in deep, deep trouble. Catch Monaco against Lille live on beIN SPORTS and beIN SPORTS CONNECT at 3:40PM ET / 4:40PM PT.

beIN SPORTS Espanyol is serving up another team battling relegation with Levante taking on the side officially called the Mighty Eibar. Underway at 4PM ET / 1PM PT. Catch all the action on the XTRA at 7PM ET / 4PM PT.

Tennis time travel for Venus and Roger

The world of tennis still has a very early century vibe with both Roger Federer and Venus Williams powering through to the Indian Wells semifinals.

The latter will spend Friday taking on the very rising star of Daria Kasatkina who has just become Russia’s number one player at the age of 20. It will be the first appearance of Venus in the semis of Indian Wells since 2001. The second clash pairs world number one Simona Halep and Naomi Osaka, another promising 20-year-old.

The men’s bracket is wrapping up the quarterfinals with the USA v Canada clash of Sam Querrey and Milos Raonic.

March Madness continues with the completion of the first round of matches. Sadly, Sport’s Burst’s pick to win the whole thing – Iona - ended rather swiftly against Duke. Not a huge surprise, say experts at beIN SPORTS.

WHAT IS SPORTS BURST?

The life philosophy of Sports Burst is that if you are not upsetting someone, then you are not trying hard enough. Sports Burst is a daily trawl and troll through the morning's sports news to bring you fact-nuggets to make you both smile and swear. Hopefully at the same time.